When you think of springtime in Japan, you immediately think of cherry blossoms. As the hanami season blossoms, there are no doubt lots of people out there who want to experience Japan’s 4 distinct seasons. One famous hanami spot in Tokyo is Meguro River. It is a location packed every year with people who walk along the river to see all the beautiful cherry blossoms. In this article, we recommend the ideal photo spots to visit during the cherry blossom season while the flowers are in full bloom!

 

How to access Meguro River

Meguro River, Tokyo’s quintessential hanami spot. The atmosphere changes as you walk along the river – upstream, mid-stream, and downstream – and a place where you are sure to enjoy your hanami.

Upstream: 3-minute walk from “Ikejiri-Ōhashi Station” via the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line

Mid-stream: 1-minute walk from “Nakameguro Station” via the Tokyu Toyoko Line and Tokyo Metro Line

Downstream: 6-minute walk from “Meguro Station” via the Tokyu Meguro Line / 5-minute walk from “Fudō-mae Station” via the Tokyu Meguro Line

The closest station to Meguro River is Nakameguro Station, but it’s a very accessible place via whichever station you alight from when you depart from Shibuya.

“Nakanohashi Bridge” – The symbolic bridge of Meguro River

If you walk along Meguro River in the direction of Nakameguro Station from Ikejiri-Ōhashi Station, you’ll come to see a red arched bridge. This is “Nakanohashi,” a characteristic bridge that has been used as the location for many TV dramas, and the symbol of Meguro River.

At the entrance of the bridge you will see “Nakanohashi” (in Hiragana) written in cute brick art. It’s a recommendation photo spot location and one where anyone can take a cute photo!

Try taking a photo with the bridge and cherry blossoms in the background, alongside the cute owl statue. The hanami season is also a time where vivid pink-coloured paper lanterns are put up to decorate the scenery even more, meaning you can take some really colourful photos.

It’s located upstream of Meguro River. Since both the width of the river and the bridge itself are narrow, only people and bicycles can pass through. When the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the arch seems as if it spans the river surface. As you walk along the bridge, the overhead branches and falling cherry blossom petals are extremely beautiful.

This area isn’t too busy so you can enjoy a relaxing stroll around it. And the cherry blossom trees are really close to you, so you can take really nice photos with the gorgeous cherry blossom petals.

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“Sakurabashi Bridge” – A naturally famous cherry blossom location!

The next place we visited was “Sakurabashi Bridge.” The scenery is so beautiful at this bridge that you could even say it was designed for the sole purpose of viewing cherry blossoms. This area is located mid-stream at Meguro River and is packed with people during hanami.

Just as the name suggests (sakura = cherry blossom), the cherry blossoms overhead at Sakurabashi are truly a sight to behold! Not only is the contrast between the rich green trees and light pink cherry blossoms beautiful, there are even illuminations meaning you can see the flowers at night, making this the perfect location.

The handrails of the bridge are decorated with yellow coloured cherry blossoms. In fact, each of the bridges along Meguro River all have place names and such written on them, so even the handrails are in on the hanami fun. It’s fun to look at all of them while you’re walking.

The deep coloured pink of the paper lanterns and the light pink of the cherry blossoms together with a touch of those yellow sakura designs is really cute!

Gaze at cherry blossoms from a different point of view

Even looking at the cherry blossoms overhead while you walk along the pedestrian bridge near Nakameguro Station is good. Seeing them at a different location from usual is elegant too.

 

Walking and eating – another real pleasure of hanami

When the hanami season hits, lots of food stalls start to pop up along Meguro River. From dawn to dusk they are bustling with people. Eating finger food while looking at the cherry blossoms is a really fun time.

I took a photo of the 3-coloured dango I bought at a stall with the cherry blossoms and sky in the background. A combo of Japaneseness – dango and cherry blossoms.

If you take a photo with the cherry blossoms in the background – which are characteristic of Japan’s seasons – then it doesn’t matter what kind of photo you have taken because it automatically becomes photogenic. If you’re stuck on where to go for good cherry blossom photos, then please be sure to use this article as your reference point. Enjoy your hanami at Meguro River this year and make some great memories!

 

Photo & Writer：Haruka Yamamoto
Model： Hikari Shibata @_sbthkr

 

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“NAKAMEGURO JEWEL DOME 2016” will be held from December 16th to December 25th this year where illuminations will be lit along the Meguro River in Nakameguro.

 

“NAKAMEGURO JEWEL DOME 2016” will be held around the local shopping districts and neighbourhood associations by the local committee to make people want to and continue to live in Nakameguro. So that the town of Nakameguro can continue to shine like a jewel, around 110 cherry blossom trees will be lined with an estimated 30,000 round lights that will glow an orange-gold colour along Meguro River.

 

It’s the perfect place to spend Christmas together with that special someone, so how about heading down to the Meguro River this winter as the illuminations shine and glisten like precious gemstones?

 

■Information
NAKAMEGURO JEWELDOME 2016

Dates: Friday December 16th, 2016 to Sunday December 25th, 2016

Time: 16:00-21:00 (subject to change)

Location: Illuminations start close to Nakameguro Station and run along the Meguro River for 1km (Horai Bridge to Asahibashi)

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Related Article: Meguro River will be dyed in sakura coloured illuminations this winter for this year’s “Meguro River Minna no Illumination 2016″

The Omohara Beer Forest―located on the sixth floor rooftop of Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku―is hosting an illumination event from November 15 to February 28 next year.   The Omohara illuminations will bring a mix of natural light and gentle fairy lights to central Harajuku. A space surrounded by trees will give rise to 16,000 illuminations with warm light, evoking a sense of nostalgia from somewhere and makes you relax. The illuminations can be enjoyed through Christmas and the New Year's Holidays. Opening hours will be extended to 11:00pm from the usual 9:00pm for people to gaze at.   Tokyu Plaza will also be decked out with plenty of Christmas gifts up until December 25 including clothes, cosmetics and other miscellaneous items, so head there this holiday season to feel that nostalgia Christmas feeling.